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Randy Newman came out with a new studio album this past week, his first in nine years. It was worth the wait. I first heard Randy when I saw Toy Story back in the first grade. I didn’t know who he was at the time but the music stuck with me and I really discovered his music only a few years ago.

Like his previous albums, Harps and Angels has that trademark Randy Newman sound: a beauty and sentimentality of the music, combined with sharp wit, observations, and satire in the lyrics. The styles of music range from showtunes, Dixieland jazz, country, and just some of the most beautiful bluesy piano music I’ve heard. There’s great storytelling in the lyrics, along with personal observations and situations, and commentary on America. Almost the songs are good, many great. The only clunker is A Piece of the Pie, it’s a really hectic and disorienting song, but I guess it goes along with the lyrics. Anyway, this album is highly recommended. Go buy it! A breakdown of the songs after the jump.

1. Harps and Angels - Tells a terrific story, great piano work, bluesy, great beat. Much of it is spoken word, but with Randy Newman, even just speaking has such musicality to it. His voice soothes you.
2. Losing You - Beautiful piano work and chords. Remeniscent of the Toy Story song “I Will Go Sailing No More.” Such a great use of strings mingling with the vocals, and there’s such a sad sweet truth in this song.
3. Laugh and Be Happy - This is a fun upbeat song. Musically it’s like Dixieland jazz. Trumpets and clarinets, trombones. Great piano as usual. Basically it says: “Everything is gonna go your way so you should laugh and be happy.”
4. A Few Words In Defense Of Our Country - Country feel to it. I prefer the original single better, which just had Randy and piano accompaniment, though this one is good too. The lyrics are mostly spoken word other than the intro, and it’s basically Randy waxing poetic about the times, and how everyone seems to hate America abroad and from the media. The lyrics just have such a clever wit. For example, he talks about other countries that were much more terrible than America: “Here’s one, the Spanish Inquisition. Put people in a terrible position. I don’t even like to think about it. But sometimes I like to think about it.” And another one, where he’s talking about the black guy on the Supreme Court, how times have changed: “As for the brother, well…Pluto’s not a planet anymore either.”
5. Piece of the Pie - It’s a really hectic song, too brash and loud. I don’t like it very much myself, though it fits the lyrics. He’s basically complaining about America and the economy and saying how it’s better in Europe.
6. Easy Street - This is basically the opposite of Piece of the Pie. The sound is a laid back Dixieland groove, nice piano work, sax solo, just a really pleasant song. The lyrics are great satire; it’s about rich and famous people, like Randy himself, and how they should just take it easy and let everyone worship at their feet. A line I liked was “Doesn’t matter if you act a little strange? Do your worst don’t ever change. Cause no matter what you do, you think anyone up here is ever going to say ‘no’ to you? Nah.”
7. Korean Parents - This song is like a showtune, and the lyrics really show off the great wit and satire of Randy Newman. Basically, what he’s saying is: if you’re a kid and you’re not doing well at school it’s time to get some Korean parents. “Who’s at the head of every class? You really think they’re smarter than you are? They just work their asses off. Their parents made them do it.”
8. Only A Girl - A fun New Orleans Dixieland jazz feel to this one too. This one’s about a beautiful young girl who loves Randy, and he’s perplexed that she would love someone old like him…then he comes to a realization. Just really funny, such wit.
9. Potholes - Another fun song in the Randy Newman style. His lyrics are just so funny, I’m reading along on metrolyrics.com and i’m just laughing out loud. It’s about Randy: as he’s getting older, he’s happy about the “potholes down on memory lane” so he can forget about all the embarrassing things and heartbreaks caused by women…and walking 14 kids in a row in Little League baseball.
10. Feels Like Home - This was originally from the musical Randy Newman’s Faust, sung by Bonnie Raitt. The song is just as powerful now as ever, especially with Randy Newman singing it this time. It’s just the most beautiful, hopeful song ever. One of my favorites. Listen to “Feels Like Home”